OECD Forum on Medicines for Emerging and Infectious Diseases, Hotels van Oranje, Noordwijk-aan-Zee, the Netherlands, 20-21 June 2007

14/06/2007 - Infectious tropical diseases exact a heavy toll on families, societies and economies, particularly in developing countries. The World Health Organisation estimates that one billion people suffer from these diseases, but there are few new  treatments or cures. The OECD's High Level Forum for Neglected and Emerging Infectious Diseases will look at what can be done to address this gap.  

In addition to neglected diseases, such as dengue and leprosy prevalent in developing  countries, drug resistantance is on the rise. Some strains of diseases  like malaria and tuberculosis  are untreatable with present medicines, adding urgency to the need for stronger global co-operation and communications to speed the research, development and delivery of new drugs. 

The High Level Forum for Neglected and Emerging Diseases is open to journalists. OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría, with Development Minister Bert Koenders and  Health Minister Ab Klink of the Netherlands, and Deputy Director Asamoa-Baah of  the World Health Organisation  will hold a news conference at 16:15 on Thursday 21 June. 

Government ministers and policy makers, with representatives from industry, charitable organisations,  academia and health-related non-governmental organisations from both developed and developing countries will discuss the economics of  tackling neglected and emerging infectious diseases. They will look for way to stimulate the research and development necessary to  produce new medicines for such diseases and  discuss the role of governments, industry and philanthropy in this effort.    

To attend the meeting and/or the news conference, please contact Helen Fisher, OECD Media Division (tel: + 331 45 24 80 97). Please note that for security reasons all media registration should be complete by 18 June.

Please see the programme available at http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/6/54/38777390.pdf

For further information see www.oecd.org/development/policycoherence/infectiousdiseases